Day one: Montreal, Quebec, Canada. February 21st, 2011. Lovely sunny day in Montreal. Gail an ESL teacher arrives full of dreams and a desire for the new. In her two pieces of luggage, she brought, besides the obvious: clothes and shoes, a few books, CDs, and a dream: To finally seattle something within her. This feeling of restlessness. A sensation only those who have felt it all life long can relate to. In her diary, Gail writes her first research question: What is it like to be an ESL instructor in a Francophone city? She walks from the bus station up the hill to an economic hotel at the corner of Rue Sherbrooke and St. Hubert. There, more stairs to climb, and up she goes, as it must be when one dies and goes to heaven, carrying nothing but fear of the unknown, heavy enough for a light being.
Gail is a middle-height light brunette somewhat pleasant to the eye type of girl. A petite chouette, as they may say. Not too old, nor too young, in her mid-forties, half way through her life. She checks in, half in French and more in English and takes her stuff up to her room, more stairs. There, as the door bangs behind her, she feels all the weight of her life coming down her shoulders. She places her bags on the floor, takes off her boots, walks to the toilet and stares at herself in the mirror. There, the wrinkles of time rest gentle on her face, as if saying, what else are you looking for in life? What else do you want from me? Questions time asks us from season to season, every year on our birthdays.
It is Monday! Time to look for the basic things one needs when moving freshly into a new town. Gail calls the super of the studio she had pre-arranged, for a quick check out on the places he has available. Serge, a middle-aged, Franco-Canadian from Quebec, a divorce lonely living in Montreal after he broke up with his ex-wife, seems to be a very welcoming person, more than what his job description implies. Walking down the hill, with a wide smile on his face, he says in English : "Bonjour, how are you? Serge, nice to meet you." There, this was Gail's first impression of Montreal. A welcoming French speaking village where Anglophones are seen as more "educated" and perhaps where, being an ESL teacher, one can easily fit in. Is that so? TO BE CONTINUED...
Gail is a middle-height light brunette somewhat pleasant to the eye type of girl. A petite chouette, as they may say. Not too old, nor too young, in her mid-forties, half way through her life. She checks in, half in French and more in English and takes her stuff up to her room, more stairs. There, as the door bangs behind her, she feels all the weight of her life coming down her shoulders. She places her bags on the floor, takes off her boots, walks to the toilet and stares at herself in the mirror. There, the wrinkles of time rest gentle on her face, as if saying, what else are you looking for in life? What else do you want from me? Questions time asks us from season to season, every year on our birthdays.
It is Monday! Time to look for the basic things one needs when moving freshly into a new town. Gail calls the super of the studio she had pre-arranged, for a quick check out on the places he has available. Serge, a middle-aged, Franco-Canadian from Quebec, a divorce lonely living in Montreal after he broke up with his ex-wife, seems to be a very welcoming person, more than what his job description implies. Walking down the hill, with a wide smile on his face, he says in English : "Bonjour, how are you? Serge, nice to meet you." There, this was Gail's first impression of Montreal. A welcoming French speaking village where Anglophones are seen as more "educated" and perhaps where, being an ESL teacher, one can easily fit in. Is that so? TO BE CONTINUED...
Feel free to interact with Gail. She is ready to answer to your questions, comments and observations.
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